Promotion of the Canonization of Bishop Alfonso Gallegos in California. February 2023.

On February 9, Fr. Eliseo Gonzalez, promoter for the cause of canonization of Venerable Alphonse Gallegos, Augustinian Recollect and Auxiliary Bishop of Sacramento, traveled from Union City, NJ for Sacramento, to attend a play titled Burnt Tortillas, which narrates the life of the Venerable Bishop.

On February 10, Fr. Eliseo visited the Catholic radio station, Radio Santísimo Sacramento, to promote the play Burnt Tortillas about Bishop Gallegos and speak about his life. That same night, he was able to see the last rehearsal of the play, the news team TV KCRA 3 was present and they interviewed the author of the play Richard Alcala, the director Richard Falcon and Fr. Eliseo. That same night the report was broadcast on the local news at 10pm and 11pm.

On Saturday, February 11, at Theatre Sierra 2 in Sacramento, the play was performed, both the 1pm and the 5pm show were full to capacity with 300 people in attendance. The performance was very emotional; there were tears and laughter, as many people present knew Bishop Gallegos, including some of his relatives.

The play ends with a very festive tone, folkloric dances from Mexico and, as a final touch, the song Salve Regina interpreted beautifully by Guadalupe Delgadillo, while photos of Gallegos were displayed on a big screen. After the first performance there were mariachi, food and drinks – creating a very familial atmosphere.

Fr. Eliseo remained in Sacramento until Wednesday, February 15. During those days in Sacramento, he was able to celebrate the Eucharist in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where the mortal remains of Bishop Gallegos rest, and took the opportunity to speak to the local community about the life and virtues of the Venerable Bishop. Likewise, he was able to collect some of Bishop Gallegos’ personal items: a pectoral cross, a bishop’s cassock, a painting of Gallegos, and two crucifixes.

That same February 15, the promoter took a plane from Sacramento to Los Angeles and traveled to Saint Augustine Monastery in Oxnard, to work on the exhibition of the personal belongings of Bishop Gallegos that are there.

From February 16 to March 5, Fr. Eliseo took advantage of his stay in California to visit his family and his religious brothers at Saint Benedict Church in Montebello, gathered for a day of retreat. He visited the Church of Our Lady of Pillar, in Santa Ana, helped in the parishes of Cristo Rey in Los Angeles, and at Mary Star of the Sea in Oxnard, and attended the funeral of the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, Bishop David O’Connell.

He dedicated the last week to setting up the Gallegos Museum, so that people can visit it in the future, helping to spread the bishop’s fame of holiness.

On March 6, Fr. Eliseo returned to Union City, happy because the performance of the play Burnt Tortillas about Gallegos was such a success. The play is scheduled to be performed again, this time in Spanish, on May 20 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Sacramento, California.

From what it seems, the legacy and work of the Venerable Bishop Alphonse Gallegos is still alive and well in California.